Russians (song)
| recorded = 1984 | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 3:58 | label = A&M | writer = | producer = Sting and Peter Smith | prev_title = Fortress Around Your Heart | prev_year = 1985 | next_title = Moon over Bourbon Street | next_year = 1986 }} "Russians" is a song by Sting, from his debut solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, released in June 1985, and released as a single in November. The song is a commentary and plea that criticises the then-dominant Cold War foreign policy and doctrine of mutual assured destruction (MAD) by the United States and the Soviet Union. Background In 2010, Sting explained that the song was inspired by watching Soviet TV via inventor Ken Schaffer's satellite receiver at Columbia University: : "I had a friend at university who invented a way to steal the satellite signal from Russian TV. We'd have a few beers and climb this tiny staircase to watch Russian television... At that time of night we'd only get children's Russian television, like their 'Sesame Street'. I was impressed with the care and attention they gave to their children's programmes. I regret our current enemies haven't got the same ethics." Sting performed the song at the 1986 Grammy Awards. His performance of the song was released on the 1994 album Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume I. Composition The song uses the Romance theme from the Lieutenant Kijé Suite by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev, and its lead-in includes a snippet from the Soviet news program Vremya in which the famed Soviet news broadcaster Igor Kirillov says in Russian: "...The British Prime Minister described the talks with the head of the delegation, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, as a constructive, realistic, practical and friendly exchange of opinions...", referring to the meeting of Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher in 1984. The Soviet leader at the time was Konstantin Chernenko. Also in the background, communications from the Apollo–Soyuz mission can be heard. Track listings ; 7" single # "Russians" – 3:57 # "Gabriel's Message" – 2:15 ; 12" maxi # "Russians" – 3:57 # "Gabriel's Message" – 2:10 # "I Burn for You" (live) – 4:40 Personnel * Photography by Anton Corbijn * Made in West Germany by Polygram ; "Russians" * Written by Sting * Engineered by Jim Scott * Produced by Pete Smith ; "Gabriel's Message" * Written by Traditional * Arranged by Sting * Mixed and recorded by Pete Smith ; "I Burn for You" * Written by Sting * Mixed, recorded and produced by Pete Smith Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications See also * Ronald Reagan in music * Music and politics * Nuclear strategy References External links * http://www.pophistorydig.com/?p=1703 - analysis of the song on Pop History Dig (Jack Doyle, "Sting: 'Russians', 1985," PopHistoryDig.com, 30 April 2009) Category:1985 singles Category:Songs about nuclear war and weapons Category:Songs about Russia Category:Songs about Ronald Reagan Category:Cultural depictions of Nikita Khrushchev Category:Sting (musician) songs Category:Songs written by Sting (musician) Category:Anti-war songs Category:Music videos directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino Category:Black-and-white music videos Category:Rock ballads Category:1985 songs